Celebrex is a sulfa non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain, painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms, and to reduce numbers of colon and rectum polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.
It was originally intended to relieve pain while minimizing the gastrointestinal adverse effects usually seen with conventional NSAIDs. In practice, its primary indication is in patients who need regular and long-term pain relief: there is probably no advantage to using Celebrex for short-term or acute pain relief over conventional NSAIDs. In addition, the pain relief offered by Celebrex is similar to that offered by Paracetamol.
Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative arthritis), is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and the subchondral bone next to it. Clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, creaking, locking of joints, and sometimes local inflammation.
The patient increasingly experiences pain upon weight bearing, including walking and standing. As a result of decreased movement because of the pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.
A common misconception is that osteoarthritis is due solely to wear and tear, since osteoarthritis typically is not present in younger people. However, while age is correlated with osteoarthritis incidence, this correlation may illustrate that osteoarthritis is a process that takes time to develop. Or that repair and regeneration that may keep pace with damage in the joints of younger people do slow with age.
Osteoarthritis affects nearly 27 million people in the United States, accounting for 25% of visits to primary care physicians, and half of all NSAID prescriptions. It is estimated that 80% of the population will have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis by age 65, although only 60% of those will show symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing an inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints.
About 1% of the world's population is afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis, women three times more often than men. Onset is most frequent between the ages of 40 and 50, but people of any age can be affected. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility. It is diagnosed chiefly on symptoms and signs, but also with blood tests (especially a test called rheumatoid factor) and X-rays.
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